Mousam Lake

Key Species: brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white perch, black crappie, pickerel

Best Way to Fish: canoe, boat

Best Time to Fish: May through September

MAG: 2, B-2

Description: This narrow, 900-acre lake is heavily stocked with brook, brown, and lake trout. From 1993 to 1995, 2,200 brown trout, 2,059 lake trout, and 5,839 brook trout were stocked in Mousam Lake. Numerous coves and inlets make this a perfect lake to fish from a canoe. Not much opportunity exists to fish from shore. The wide variety of species and easy access make Mousam Lake a good choice for families with children. Campgrounds are located in nearby Acton, Lebanon, and Alfred. Motels are available in Sanford, Biddeford, and Kennebunk.

Fishing index: In the summer months, lake trout will be found in a deep trench that runs up the middle of the main body of the lake. Depths here range from 66 to 88 feet. Troll with large minnows and lead-core line or use downriggers. A fish locator will reduce the time needed to locate groups of fish.

Look for brown and brook trout near the mouths of the various brooks. If flies are on the water, try to match the hatch. Be sure to have some red quills as well as some caddis patterns. If no insects are present on the surface, you can troll with Jerrys smelt, Mooselook Wobblers, or Flash Kings in orange and gold. Bait fishers will do well to drift, using a small minnow suspended near the bottom. May and June are best for brook and brown trout. Use medium-weight spinning tackle. Fly fishers should use a 9-foot rod in 5 or 6 weight.

Warmwater species can be taken throughout the open water season. This is one of the better lakes in Maine for black crappie. Use lightweight spinning or fly tackle. Fly fishers can take crappie by casting small streamers and bucktails. Gray ghost and any of the Thunder Creek series are good choices. Anglers using spinning tackle should use small jigs and Mepps spinners. Small minnows are best for anglers using bait. In May, look for crappies to be schooling in the lower portion of the lake. Concentrate on the cove near the dam, as well as the large island in the middle of the lower section. In warm weather, crappies will be in relatively deep water. A fish locator is handy for finding the schools. Once you catch one crappie, drop your anchor and fish hard.

The lower section of the lake is best for largemouth bass. You can take largemouth bass here throughout the open-water season. Look for smallmouth bass around the many points of land in the upper section of the lake.

In summer, try for white perch in the main section of the lake, in about 20 feet of water. Pickerel lurk in the shallow coves throughout the lake.

Directions: From Sanford, head north on Maine Route 109. The lower section of Mousam Lake and the boat ramp are on the left.

For more information: Call the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife in Gray.